Corporate training set to be revolutionised by North East start-up

A start-up business which aims to revolutionise the global corporate training market through use of emerging technologies to create bespoke bite-sized modules is being launched in the North East.

Having identified the need for training to be made more engaging and accessible, SUB10 will offer 10-minute digital learning modules to convey the relevant information in a highly interactive way.

The business plans to use cutting-edge technology including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create its training modules, and will make use of games and quizzes to help with learning, wholly redefining the traditional corporate training market and its use of seminars and webinars.

SUB10 – whose tagline is ‘Experience knowledge’ – is founded by Peter Stephenson and Angela Ross, who both have backgrounds of working in training and e-learning, working on projects for major corporates including Airbus, Allianz and Vodafone.

It has secured space at PROTO in Gateshead – a £7.8million recently-opened development and the first centre of its kind in Europe to be built to support the development of emerging technologies – to help develop its suite of products, which are predicted to have the potential to redefine the accepted view of corporate training. SUB10 has also formed a partnership with Newcastle University for two of its Masters students to help with their technological development.

Angela said: “I have worked in this industry for 20 years and there is a definite need for change. Through the launch of SUB10, we want to create something which is creative and engaging with learning underpinning everything, and on which employers can see a return on their investment. We want to create personalised, flexible, interactive modules which are a big move away from the 60 minute sessions which have historically been offered.

“We see the potential to change an industry through the creation of a new and engaging means of offering tailored training to corporate businesses and their employees.”

Peter, who has significant experience in digital learning and games production, said: “Quite a few years ago, I was part of a project which was the first of its kind, where we used VR to help schoolchildren understand how the heart worked. The levels of engagement were like nothing their teachers had seen before, you could have heard a pin drop in those lessons and they remembered everything they’d learnt too, and the effect of that has been very memorable for me.

“It was that principle which has been behind the creation of SUB10. If you present information in a way that is engaging and genuinely gets people’s attention and interest, then they will remember it. The potential for the business is very exciting, and we are delighted to be doing this from the North East. PROTO is a fantastic place to be based and we are hoping the whole region will get behind us as we try and take this regionally, nationally and globally too.”

Alex Cook, innovation manager at PROTO, said: “Emerging digital technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality are a great way of engaging people and have huge potential to bring learning to life. We’re delighted to welcome SUB10 to PROTO, where they will be working alongside some amazing tech talent. They will be an excellent addition to the already thriving immersive sector in the North East.”

SUB10 is being supported by law firm Sintons, a specialist in advising start-ups and tech businesses. Senior associate Lucy Carlin, one of the North East’s most highly-rated tech lawyers, is working with Peter and Angela.

Lucy said: “The tech sector in the North East is known around the UK, and indeed around the world, for its innovation and high growth potential, and is a fantastic place for start-ups in this industry to be based. Peter and Angela are capitalising on the region’s outstanding facilities and advancements in technology to launch SUB10, which truly has the potential to redefine a whole global industry. The outlook for this business is truly very exciting and we at Sintons are delighted to be able to support Peter and Angela from the outset.”